Folding chair



Nov. 17, 1931.

c. w. WHITE ET AL FOLDING CHAIR Filed Feb 21. 1929 fPatented Nov. 17,1931 the drawings.

- I E STATES PATENT-OFFICE -CLARENCE WATSON WHITE AND VOILEY AGUSTUSMITCHELL, OF NORTH BENNING- TON, VERMONT, ASSIGNORS TO H. C. WHITECOMPANY, OF NORTH BENNI NGTON, VER- MONT, A CORPORATION OF VERMONTFOLDING CHAIR Application filed February 21, 1929.

This invention refers to certain new and useful improvements in foldingchairs or stools, especially of the camp, lawn, or porch variety, thoughwe are not restrlcted as to the purpose of their use or their class; aleading and paramount object being to cheapen and promote the ease oftheir manufacture, and produce a strong and rigid combination, adaptedmore particularly for an arm chalr, which can be folded and unfolded agreat number of times without wearing out or weakening or becomingunserviceable through any deterioration in the relative integrity of theparts. The general combination mav be adapted if desired for use withroc ers to furnish a rocking chair.

The invention may therefore be said to consist essential y in the eneralcombinat on of the mechanical folding features: and also in numerousdetails and peculiarities in the construction. combination andarrangement of parts. substantially as will be hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustratinn our invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved folding arm chair. when inits open and unfolded position and ready for ordinarv use.

Figure 2 is an edge e evation of the same when folded to ether to occupyas small a compass as possible for convenience in trans portation orstorage, certain parts being sectioned on a vertical line to bring outdetails of construction and arrangementmore clearly and especially toshow the rear parts in gre ter detail.

Figure 3 is a partial hori -ontal sectional plan view on the line-3. 3,of Figure 1.

F ure 4 is a detail horizontal section on the l ne 4. 4, of Figure 1.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout all thedifferent figures of between these side frames is a folding seat framehinged to the side frames and supporting a flexible folding seat orstool.

Serial No. 341,743.

The side frameseach consist of a taller or longer rear post 4 and ashorter front post 1. The front and rear posts of each side frame arerigidly connected by one or more horizontal lower rails 8 and an upperwide or flat strip 2, serving as an arm for the cha r. Between the arms2 and the lower rails 8 are series of round rods 9 secured to arms 2 andrails 8, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The rods 9 strengthen the sides,besides giving a finished appearance thereto, and afford a light openconstruction of strength and durability. Obviously these details of theside frames may vary widely, but it is desirable that each side frameshould consist of an integral strongly built combinat on of-parts sothat the chhir as a whole may have upstanding and un hakable qualitiesfor service.

The arms 2 are at a convenient distance below the upper ends of the rearposts 4, and are so placed as to constitute suitab e arm rests for theoccupant of the chair. The rear posts 4 are connected by a folding sheetof canvas or other material 3, tacked to the posts if desired. whosevertical opposite edges are formed with loops or pockets 5 calculated to'looselv contain the posts; Further. the

looped opposite edges of back 5 are slotted at 6 to accommodate thejoints of the rear en of arms 2 with posts 4.

When the chair is open or extended. and the s de frames are in theposition where they are normally widest apart, as shown in Figure 1. theback 3 will be stretched taut across the chair in a vertical positionand will furnish an eff ctive back rest for the sitter in the chair,besides serving as a strap to connect the rear posts of the chair. Onthe other, hand when the chair is colla sed and folded, the side frameswill be brought close together as shown in Figure 2, with the seat andits frame folded between them. in which position the back 3 willnaturally infold itself between the frames so as to be out of the wayThe loose pockets 5 enables the back 3 to easily adjust itself in thefolding and unfolding of the chair. The canvas, leather, or cloth fabricof the back 3 may be heavy or light in weight or otherwise, accordinglyas .may be desired, and may be in one or more pieces and colored ordecorated or figured to embellish the appearance of the chair.

Between the side frames, which are anljusrtable towards and away fromeach other as we 5 have described, is a stool or seat frame forsupporting a flexible canvas, leather, or other seat 7, which occupies anormal horizontal position when in use, as in Figure 1, and is infoldedbetween the frame members carrying it when the chair is closed up fornon-use, as portrayed in Figin-e 2.

The seat frame is composed of two front cross bars and 11 pivotedtogether centrally at 12. These bars 10 and 11 lie in a vertical plane,and are movable into different positions on a central pivot 12. Oppositeto these front cross bars is a pair of similar rear cross bars 10a and110. which are pivoted together centrally at 1%, the front and rearcross bars being similar in all respects in form and function. The lowerouter ends of the front bars 10 and 11 and of the rear bars 10!: and 11aare respectivelv connected rigidly together by horizontal side bars 15,which in turn are hinged by means of hinges 17 at two or more points tothe lower rails S of the side frames. see Figure 3. And the upper outerends of the front bars 10 and 11 and of the rear bars 10a and 11a arealso connected rigidly together bv the horizontal bars 16. To these bars16. 16. the opposite ed es of canvas seat 7 are tightlv fastened. -Whenthis seat frame is unfolded the bars 16 abutauainst the side frames andthe seat 7 reaches from one side frame to the other in a taut horizontalposition. When the bars of the seat frame are brought nearer together byturning them on their pivots until the bars are more nearly parallelwith each other and in a vertical position. the seat frame accommod atesitself comfortably between the closed up side framesms in Figure 2.Viewine. these front and rear interpivoted bars and their connectionsfrom above, instead of from front and rear, it will be seen that theseat frame is composed of two rectangular centrally pivoted frames,which can be raised on their pivots into an approximately verticalposition or spread out into an approximately horizontal position,carrying with them the flexible seat member, which is horizontal at onetime, reaching from one side frame to the other, and serving then in itsseat flmction, a d at another time dropping easily into its id enosition when not in use.

When the seat frame unfolds from its idle vertical position in Figure- 2to its active horizontal position in Figure 1, the cross pieces 16 thathold canvas seat 7 strike against the side frames, but for the sake offirmness in the chair it is necessary that the weight on the seat shouldnot cause the seat to be depressed too much as this would cause the Vpieces 16 to travel outwardly too far and strain the side frames. Thisis prevented to some extent by the rigidity of the side frames, butactually under the weight of a person there is a tendency to spread theframe unevenly and also to put a greater tension on the cloth seat. Weavoid this too great strain by using supporting members or stops on theside frames on which the seat frame is brought to a stop and maytemporarily rest when the chair is unfolded and the seat 7 is in itshorizontal active position supporting' a person.

T he supporting members or stops thus referred to may have many forms-One form used in order to carry the seat frame in its extended positionwhen the seat proper 7 is stretched out horizontally for use, andenables seat- 7 to sustain the weight of the sitter. a function which isso essential. provides that the posts 1 and 4 should have stoppingprojections or rests thereon, upon which the seat frame rails 16 mavcome to rest and lie when the seat frame is thus extended. Thesesupporting members or stopping projections may take many convenientsuitahle forms, but we preferably use angular hoohs or steps 13 that arescrewed or driven into the inside faces of the posts. These hook; orstops 13 are usually right angled when the rails 16 are square, and maybe secured at an angle so as to receive the eyes of the rails. the rightangle of the hook or stop in this angular position receiving neatly thesomewhat inclined edge of the rails 16 when the latter are in thisposition, as seen in Figure 1. Of course the rails 100 16 may have anshape. and the books or stops 13 any corresponding or other shape.

Of course these details of stop or rest devices on the side frames forsustaining the weight of the scat frame and the occupant of 195 the seatmay vary widely, and as it is quite emential to prevent. any unduespread in the ide frames we reserve the liberty of creating and placingthese stops or supports in the most approved and effective way.

The use and function of the chair are evident from the foregoing withoutthe necessity of giving much additional detail. The invention provides asubstantial arm chair, or camp stool, when unfolded. It stands firmlyand the parts brace each other so as to prevent lateral vibration andcrushing. An important feature is the seat frame that is hinged ormovably connected permanently to the side frames. at the. bottom of thechair 199 but not at the top, the upper part of the seat frame beingentirely free from any connection with the side frames except as ittemporarily rests in service on certain supports on the side frames: andit will be seen that the 195 upper portion of the seat frame when theseat is unfolded into service position will brace between the sideframes and rest solidi thereon or on certain stops. supports or hooksprojecting from said side frames so that the 139 the flexible seat whenlevel can uphold a considerable burden without flinchin When the chairis to be folded the custo ian may take hold of the seat 7 near itsmiddle or at the end and lift it far enough to disengage the rails 16from the rests or hooks 13. Then if the side frames be pressed togetherand the seat 7 allowed to drop between or over the folded seat frame,all as shown in Figure 2, the parts of the chair will be caused tooccupy a small space and compass, and in this condition may be easilymoved about and put awa Mzuiy changes in the details may be made withoutdeparting from the substance of the invention; and we therefore reservethe liberty of varying from the precise embodiment offered with quite arange of changes embraced under the terms of the claims.

What we claim is: V

1. In a folding chair, the combination of side frames, a back looselyconnected therewith, a seat-carrying frame composed of two rectangularinterpivoted frames hinged to the side frames, hooks on the side framesadapted to engage and support the rectangular frames in open position,together with a flexible seat that is foldably secured to saidrectangular frames.

2. In a folding arm chair of the class described, the comb nation withside frames having arms, a flexible back loosely connected to said sideframes, of a seat frame composed essentially of a pair of interpivotedrectangular frames hinged to the side frames, a flexible seat secured onsaid seat frame, and hooks fastened in the side frames to be temporarilyengaged by the extended seat frame lower portions hinged to said sideframes, and fixedframe-engaging abutment stops on the side framescooperating with the seat to support the seat in its active stretchedposition. v

3. In a folding chair, the combination of side frames, a seat-carryingframe composed of interpivoted frames hinged at the bottom to the sideframes, angular hooks on the side frames adapted to engage and supportthe said seat frames in open position, together with a flexible seatthat is foldably secured to the said seat frames.

4. In a folding chair, the combination of side frames, a back securedthereto, a seatcarrying frame composed essentially of interpivotedframes, means for hinging the lower portion of these frames to thebottom of the side frames but leaving the upper portion of theseat-carrying frame without any connection with the side frames, angularinclined hooks on the side frames adapted to engage and support the.seat frames in their unfolded position, together with a flexilple seatthat is foldably secured to said seat rames.

5. In a folding chair, the combination of a tangular inter-pivotedframes having their

